OCTOBER Newsletter from Le Jardinet

October 2012

Enjoy your garden and wildlife - OUTSIDE!

Many of you know that we moved to our home in Duvall three years ago realizing that the house and 5 acre garden needed "some work". I mention this fact in case any of you are under some romantic illusion as to the definition of 'some'.

You can read a little of our earlier adventures here. Now we have started one of two bathroom remodels. We're not talking something easy like changing the faucets or even just replacing the sink. In true Chapman style this is down to the studs. Why? Ants had eaten away the floor - literally and built a 3' x 2' nest between the studs. In another wall there was about 3lbs of bird seed - and a few mummified mice (don't ask). Oh and Andy fell through the floor.

In landscaping we often talk about the concept of blurring the boundaries between the inside and outside of your home. Let's just say ours are a little blurrier than most!

BETTER HOMES & GARDENS PHOTO SHOOT; REVIEW

The highlight of last month was a fun photo shoot for a Better Homes & Gardens special publication; Deck, Patio and Pool.

Award winning author Debra Prinzing is writing an article on how to get the tropical style with containers and invited me to create the featured designs. A huge honor and of course very exciting.

The article won't be out until next summer but here's a sneak peek of my photographs of the finished designs since many of you have emailed me asking to see them!

Needless to say, professional photographer Laurie Black has far superior images.

Ah the memories of sunny days!

CREDIT CARDS NOW ACCEPTED

Finally there is an affordable way for small businesses to accept payment by credit and debit cards thanks to the new SQUARE technology. This is a card reading device which plugs into the top of my iPhone .

It allows you to see the transaction on the screen and either use the pin-pad or sign your authorization. A receipt can be sent to you by email.

FOLLOW 'FINE FOLIAGE'

The writing is finished, the last of the photographs taken and hopefully we're almost through with the editing. Famous last words.....

Click here for a sneak peak and to pre-order

Now what? LOTS of seminars / book signing opportunities including the Northwest Flower & Garden Show 2013. See my website events page for more details. Remember you can always schedule something for your own club or organization too.

We've also have a popular Facebook page so you can follow along with our Fine Foliage adventures. There are some fun 'insider' snippets, great photos and a few funny stories sprinkled in. Click the buttons below to follow the updates;

OCTOBER SEMINARS

It was lovely to see so many of you at my September seminars. I hope you got plenty of ideas for your fall containers and gardens.

This month the fun continues with a talk at one of my favorite garden clubs - Trilogy in Redmond. WA. Although this is a private event they are such wonderful friendly people that I know they would be happy to extend an invitation to you. Here are the details;

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October 3rd 2012 (7-8pm)

Bullet-proof Container Gardening - designs that survive (moderate) neglect by both two and four-legged Trilogy residents.

Enjoy this demonstration-style presentation as I plant up two unique containers for fall and winter. By invitation only

Would you like a seminar for your own organization? Check out my Great Garden Speakers listing for details or email me.

For information on all my upcoming seminars keep an eye on my website events page.

HOUZZ

Click image to find my profile

Have you discovered Houzz yet? It's a great source of inspiration for home and garden ideas. As well as having lots of great photographs that you can add to your ideabooks (rather like Pinterest boards), Houzz goes a step further with product information, links to contractors in your area and articles written by industry professionals such as myself!

As the Pacific Northwest Region garden writer I currently write two articles a month - a monthly checklist to help you stay on track in your garden (no you can't plant tomatoes in October!) as well as a Great Design Plant where I get to tell you about one of my favorite plants that is especially fabulous that month.

Give it a try and tell your friends.

KEEP UP WITH THE FUN AT LE JARDINET!

Can you resist this 'Louie' pine? I couldn't!

BLOG

Garden Adventures - for thumbs of all colors, is a lighthearted, information packed blog for all gardeners and garden lovers. Laugh while you learn, pick up new ideas and be inspired by others is the theme as I cover everything from container design to slug patrol.

The most popular post last month was Great Conifers for Fall Containers . Read about some of my favorites. For those of you in the Seattle area, Molbak's is well stocked on most of these.

FACEBOOK

Take a moment to sit back, enjoy photographs, see what has been happening in my own garden plus get links to the latest garden products: all in bite sized chunks. Always fresh - take a look!

PINTEREST

Enjoy garden photographs on my virtual pin boards - visit Pinterest! You don't need an account to enjoy the boards, just a cup of tea will do as you sit back and get new ideas for containers combinations and garden designs, pathways and art work.

SHARE THE NEWS

Love these newsletters? Want to tell your friends about some of the fun events or share some of my design ideas? Either click or use the social media links at the top of the page to send via Facebook, Twitter and the like. Encourage friends and family to sign up so they don't miss out on special offers, plant news and local garden events!

Want more? My newsletters are now archived on my website so you can look up seasonal tips and photographs from previous editions.

For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad. ~Edwin Way Teale

Karen Chapman CPH

Le Jardinet

425 765 3574